


four letter word

by tmylm



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Established Bechloe, F/F, Fluff, Post-PP3, Smut, pp3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:21:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22268599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmylm/pseuds/tmylm
Summary: There are probably better times than during a fight to say “I love you” for the first time, but it was a stupid fight anyway, and they have been dancing around those three words for way too long.
Relationships: Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 30
Kudos: 309





	four letter word

**Author's Note:**

> A fic to go along with [this gif set](https://chloebeale.tumblr.com/post/190047476149/there-are-probably-better-times-than-during-a). Enjoy!

The first time it happens—almost happens—is really rather unextraordinary.

Over the years, there have been plenty of off-handed “love you”s and other casual declarations of affection, but they were always meant platonically. Perhaps, on a deeper level, there was always something more to them, but considering that throughout Beca’s entire college career, she and Chloe were nothing more than best friends (officially, at least) platonic, at face value, was all those statements were.

Flash-forward four years, however, to Beca blurting out amidst a bubble of jealousy upon seeing Chloe kissing their USO tour guide that _“It shouldn’t be him you’re kissing, Chloe, it should be me!”_ and suddenly things were just… Not so platonic anymore.

The transition from best friends to girlfriends had happened much more seamlessly than either party had ever imagined. (And if you were to ask Beca, while she’d deny it outright, secretly she has imagined it on _many_ occasions.) It is likely because, even before they had the girlfriend label attached to them, there would always be long, drawn out looks and lingering stares, the feeling of soft fingers grazing against bare arms, and it became apparent quickly that they were always supposed to be something more.

So, with Beca lying front-down on a relatively uncomfortable hotel bed—when she’d pictured the perks of a promised career as an international superstar, she had admittedly expected more expensive hotel rooms—with her phone held out in front of her and the image of Chloe seated at her desk as she works, the less than platonic conversation transpiring between she and her girlfriend is really nothing out of the ordinary.

Not their _new_ ordinary, anyway.

“If I’d known it’d mean you spending so much time away from me, I wouldn’t have been so encouraging about this big career of yours,” Chloe teases, her tone playful as it rings through the phone. Her voice is so melodic, so familiar, that it eases Beca’s homesickness instantly.

While Chloe steals glances toward the call, she is pretty deeply invested in the notes she is typing up. That doesn’t stop Beca from watching her contentedly, though. She doesn’t have to stop herself anymore, doesn’t have to force herself to look away.

“Yeah?” Beca chuckles softly, free hand stretched out onto the mattress in front of her. She begins to draw shapes against the sheet with the tip of her index finger, a part of her imagining that the canvas is Chloe’s skin; that one smooth patch on her hip that makes her body tense up whenever Beca touches it even feather lightly. “I’ll give it all up for you. You just say the word.”

Beca is teasing, too. No, she doesn’t enjoy so much time away from her girlfriend, but they had discussed all of this at length—as at length as Chloe would allow; she was very adamant Beca take the opportunity—and had been ready for their change in circumstance. They had known to expect this.

“Like I would let you,” Chloe retorts with a sarcastic scoff. Although a playful one, her glare burns into the camera, and honestly Beca is just grateful for the chance she has to unashamedly stare into her favorite eyes. Thank God for today’s advanced technology allowing them to see one another even from entirely different coasts. “I could never be the reason the world is deprived of the inimitable talents of _the_ Beca Mitchell.”

“Inimitable,” Beca echoes, smirk tugging at her lips. “You’re ridiculous.”

Chloe has picture and picture on her laptop screen, and Beca can tell the difference between when she is looking at the window with their video call and the document containing her notes. Her gaze follows the way Chloe goes back to concentrating on the latter.

“You’re dating me,” Chloe shrugs, lips curving upward into the faintest yet smuggest of smiles.

The expression causes Beca to gently chew down onto her bottom lip, mostly because it would be weird to lean forward and literally kiss the screen. If they were together, though, in the flesh, Beca would press her lips to the corner of Chloe’s mouth, gently peck the smirk away. God, she wants that. She wants it more than anything, in fact.

Beca doesn’t even realize she’s staring, doesn’t notice how lost in her own world she is, her own thoughts of Chloe Beale. At least, not until Chloe takes another quick glance at their call window, her brows knitting together in both confusion and concentration.

“What are you staring at?” Chloe asks, her prior smirk suddenly replaced by something of a bashful expression. It is something Beca has seen a few times recently, something she hadn’t been privy to so obviously before the two had ditched the platonic facade of it all, but ever since she unlocked this deeper, more vulnerable side to Chloe, she has seen in minor waves. Chloe knows _she_ is what Beca is staring at, and the realization causes red tints to mist lightly over two pale faces.

Beca doesn’t respond at first, not verbally. She simply allows the small smile threatening her lips to ease naturally onto them, head shaking softly. “Nothing,” Beca finally says, her voice calm and quiet. “Just watching you work. Missing you.”

And it’s there, that feeling of something more. Something more than lust and desire, more than anything they have told one another before. It only intensifies with the way Chloe’s teeth sink gently into her lower lip, a coy look overtaking her features. And Beca thinks it, she really does. She thinks she might say it, in fact.

“I miss you too, Bec,” Chloe agrees with a soft nod of her head, leaning back slightly in her chair. A quiet sigh falls from between her glossed lips, and as Chloe’s gaze moves toward the video call window almost dreamily, that is the first time Beca almost says it, the first time it almost happens.

But it doesn’t.

* * *

The next time it happens—almost happens—it comes from Chloe. Almost, anyway.

Although Chloe wouldn’t necessarily choose it to be this way, there is something kind of special about the in-person date nights she and Beca get, likely because they are so few and far between. It is a sad fact that they got to spend more time together before they’d admitted to their less than platonic feelings for one another, but it is a fact that they know they have to deal with. Fortunately, it is only temporary. Beca is currently touring (not quite internationally, fortunately for she and Chloe) with DJ Khaled, so the time she has to spend in Georgia is infrequent. But they make the most of it; there are no hard feelings.

A bowling date may seem pretty lame, but there’s a bowling alley and arcade situated closely by Chloe’s dorm, and since she only has Beca for the weekend, she will take what she can get. Besides, Chloe is having fun, and despite Beca’s whines of complaint about her own admittedly poor bowling skills, she’s pretty sure she is enjoying herself, too.

“You’re not getting low down enough,” Chloe chuckles, her straw still settled between her lips. Despite her amusement, she’s not judging, she just thinks Beca’s frustration is cute, that’s all.

“Any lower and I’d be on the floor,” Beca grumbles, hands balled into fists that plant firmly against her hips. There is something almost petulant about Beca’s stance, about the disgruntlement in her tone. She stares with a tilted head, and watches the ball slowly coasting down the gutter.

All Chloe can do is playfully roll her eyes. “Let me show you,” she offers, though she doesn’t really give Beca the chance to accept nor decline. Instead, Chloe sets her drink down on the small table, pushing herself to her feet and quickly approaching the ball return. “I’m pretty sure you’re using a way too heavy ball, too. Try this one.”

Lighter ball in hand, Chloe offers it out to Beca, who somewhat gingerly accepts.

“But, it’s your turn…” Beca frowns, though Chloe simply shakes her head.

“That’s okay, we’re gonna use my turn as your tutorial.”

Growing up in a very close-knit family, the kind to enjoy regular game nights including trips out to the local bowling alley, Chloe has a knack for these particular sports. The likes of air hockey and skee ball skills are also under her belt, though she’s sure they’ll get to those later. For now, she’s happy to teach Beca how to properly bowl, and settles her hands softly against Beca’s arms, gently guiding her into position.

“Okay,” Chloe begins, fingers trailing lightly down Beca’s arm, until her palm meets the back of a soft hand. “Firstly, you need to loosen up your grip. You’re going to end up flying down there with the ball if you’re not careful.” The mental image causes her to stifle a laugh, though a quick glance over Beca’s shoulder and to that adorable look of determination on her face has Chloe biting down gently onto her bottom lip, and suddenly it is no longer so funny.

“Like that,” Chloe nods, her front pressed up against Beca’s back. Her free hand wraps loosely around Beca’s slender waist, until she can settle her palm delicately against her abdomen. “Lean down against my hand,” Chloe instructs, body arching along with Beca’s, “And follow my wrist.”

Slowly, she begins to pull her hand back, palm still hovering against the back of Beca’s hand, the one holding the bowling ball, and helps to guide her shot. As their wrists begin to move forward, Chloe whispers a quick, “Let go,” before the two are watching the ball begin to roll at a much better speed toward the pins.

Okay, so maybe they don’t hit every single one, and maybe the angle wasn’t exactly _perfect_ , but the ball eventually collides with more than half of the pins, and Chloe straightens up with an expression of pride on her face. “See?” She grins, craning her neck to push a passing peck to Beca’s soft cheek, before taking a slight step back to allow Beca the room to own her victory. “You’re a natural.”

“Right,” Beca frowns, though as she turns around, Chloe can see the smile she is trying to bite back, and she wonders if Beca realizes just how sickeningly cute she actually is, how much Chloe truly adores her. “Because all naturals have their girlfriend literally guiding them.”

“Hey,” Chloe chuckles, hands raising as if to plead the fifth. Her shoulders shrug gently. “It was all you. I was just, I don’t know, offering tips.”

“Well, thank you,” Beca smirks subtly, stepping forward to press a gentle kiss to Chloe’s lips, before edging around her to get to their table and retrieve her drink. “It helped.”

Sometimes, the thought of wasted time haunts Chloe. She’ll think about all of those years she and Beca spent dancing around their feelings, pretending like there was nothing more there, and she wishes they had figured things out sooner. Other times, though, like right now, she is grateful for that time—if they had done this sooner, before either had had the time to really work through their own personal feelings, she is sure their relationship would not have been at its current level of maturity. Chloe finds it difficult to picture a nineteen year old Beca Mitchell openly kissing her in the middle of a public bowling alley without a second thought, anyway. So, Chloe is grateful, and she likes the way things have worked out for them.

“Go ahead, clear the pins,” Beca urges, grabbing her soda and bringing the straw to her lips. She motions toward the alley, waiting for Chloe to take her second turn.

True to form, Chloe does exactly as instructed, clearing the remaining pins in one particularly skilled swipe. She turns toward Beca with an overly exaggerated curtsy, and Beca playfully rolls her eyes.

“Are you going to take my next turn for me?” Beca asks, an almost impossible mixture of both child-like hope and already accepted defeat lacing her voice.

“Nope,” Chloe shakes her head, stepping aside and motioning casually toward the ball return. “All you.”

Beca’s frown returns, and while Chloe can’t actually hear what she says, she is sure she grumbles something as she trudges by her to retrieve her next ball. Again, it makes Chloe giggle under her breath. Her girlfriend can be a real brat sometimes, but Chloe tends to receive it as endearing. Rather than return to their table, she remains standing to watch Beca take her turn, calling a quick reminder for her to lean down lower.

Either luck is on her side or Beca is a very fast learner—or maybe Chloe really is the world’s best teacher—because the ball sails almost expertly down the middle of the aisle, wiping out all of the pins with relative ease.

“Hey, I did it!” Beca cheers in celebration, evidently forgetting where she is for a moment, forgetting the fact that she is obviously just _way_ too cool for such human-like emotion. Chloe is sure she notices Beca hopping on the spot slightly.

Of course, Chloe joins in on the elation, hands easily capturing Beca’s as they meet. “You did! I told you you’re a natural,” Chloe beams, long fingers intertwining naturally through Beca’s, the way they always feel the most comfortable.

The look of pure joy on Beca’s face does not pass Chloe by, nor does the way her eyes light up with a sort of reserved excitement, and God, Chloe is so easily, so instantly captivated. So much so, in fact, that the bright grin on her face softens slowly into a dreamy smile, and Chloe does not mean to stare the way she currently is, doesn’t mean to hold eye contact so intensely with Beca.

“What?” Beca asks, voice a little quieter to match the newly calm tone between the two of them.

A painted lip tugs in between Chloe’s teeth, and while she continues to stare for a moment, she eventually softly shakes her head, curls dancing along her shoulders. “Nothing,” she promises, fingers tightening to gently pull their bodies closer, “Just proud of you, Bec.”

That is the second time it almost happens. They can both feel it, they both know exactly what the other is thinking, but when all is said and done, the words just don’t come out.

That doesn’t dampen the feeling, though. It’s just… It’s a big thing, and while it could happen, while it could’ve happened before now even, it just doesn’t.

* * *

It is always weird for Beca, being back in Georgia. Even more so because she is visiting a school that is not Barden. However, the fact that she is visiting Chloe makes even somewhere strange like the University of Georgia feel like home. Especially after two months apart.

Normally, Beca is able to come back every couple weeks, but the last leg of Khaled’s tour has been intense, and for Beca, that had meant not being able to visit Chloe for a total of two months. The last date they had gotten to go on was their bowling date, so they have plenty of lost time to make up for.

So, naturally, the moment she and Chloe had checked into their hotel room—privacy-wise, it had just made more sense than them staying in Chloe’s dorm—clothing had been haphazardly removed, and they’d shown one another exactly how much they’d missed each other. Multiple times, in fact.

This time, Beca gets a whole two weeks in Georgia, and honestly, she could happily spend the entirety of it in she and Chloe’s hotel room. Of course, Chloe still has classes to attend, as well as her weekend job to work, but outside of that, if she and Chloe just spent every second wrapped up together in their shared bed, that would be more than fine by her.

Of course, Chloe is much more of a social butterfly than Beca is, so while UGA is still new to her too, Chloe has immersed herself into all of the academic and social aspects, and Beca is not at all surprised. In fact, she thinks it’s kind of cute, the way Chloe has seized this new opportunity so wholly. It is the same way as Beca has grabbed her own situation with both hands, except of course, Chloe has done so much more enthusiastically. Chloe does everything with great enthusiasm, in fact.

“You’re positive you don’t mind us going tonight, right?” Chloe asks as she emerges from their suite’s bathroom, wrapped in a clean white towel. Her long hair is draped over one shoulder, and it is honestly difficult for Beca to keep her hands to herself, but she knows they have somewhere to be, so she forces herself to refrain.

For the most part, anyway.

“Chlo, I told you,” Beca chuckles softly, hoisting herself up from the bed. She had been lying front-down, dabbling casually with a new mix, though that is all but forgotten about instantly. How is she supposed to focus on anything else when her half naked girlfriend is standing in front of her, right? Beca takes the smaller towel from Chloe’s hand, and Chloe releases her grasp easily, a smile of natural contentment playing on her lips as Beca begins to towel dry the length of her damp hair for her. “I really don’t mind. I’d hate for you to be stuck in here with me so long that you got bored of me.”

There is a playful glare shot her way, and Beca smirks subtly as she glances upward to lock eyes with Chloe’s. It is all too easy for her to stretch up onto her tiptoes, chastely kissing Chloe’s frown away.

“I would never get bored of you,” Chloe insists, gently taking the towel back to finish patting at her wet hair. Where a pout had been only seconds prior, Beca notices a small smirk rising to Chloe’s lips instead. “You need to start getting ready before we end up being late, though. I can see you mentally undressing me right now.”

“Damn, and I thought I was being so sly,” Beca teases, allowing her gaze to fall shamelessly down Chloe’s towel-covered body. Chloe is right, though, if she does what she really wants to do and peels the towel away, they will never leave. While Beca really does not care to attend the party she and Chloe are due to be at in only an hour’s time, she knows it is an important mixer for Chloe.

Besides, while it pains her to admit to something she would’ve considered pathetic a few months back, Beca does thoroughly enjoy getting to show her girlfriend off, and she quietly gets a kick out of knowing that it is the same for Chloe vice versa.

Somehow, it’s both new and familiar, entering a college party hand in hand with Chloe Beale. Of course, before now, it had been a platonic thing, the two of them holding hands and thinking nothing more of it. Sort of like a ‘here, hold onto me so we don’t get lost in the crowd’ type of deal (or cover up). Regardless, they enter as girlfriends this time, and Chloe wastes no time in waving eagerly toward the group of friends she spots almost instantly, her grip tightening slightly on Beca’s hand.

Beca is not a hugger. Chloe is. So, it doesn’t surprise Beca that her girlfriend greets her friends with warm, one-armed hugs, though never releases her hold on Beca’s hand. She can sense curious eyes falling on her, but Chloe’s friends wait to be introduced before deciding to make a big deal out of her. Beca is courteous and friendly, despite being hyper aware of the fact that she is essentially a stranger in a room full of acquaintances, though she is comfortable in Chloe’s presence, and fortunately does not feel too out of place.

To begin with, Beca has no issues with Chloe’s friends. They seem fun and bubbly, just like her girlfriend, and all do a good job at making her feel welcomed into their group. It is the addition of a late arrival that eventually has Beca raising a brow, though.

“I am _so_ sorry I’m late,” an unfamiliar voice announces dramatically, approaching the group in something of a flustered hurry.

Beca doesn’t pay much attention at first, not until she feels a slight tug on her hand, glancing toward Chloe to see the way she has doubled over briefly—a product of their new arrival playfully tickling her side. It is a strange gesture, but given how handsy Chloe is, it really shouldn’t surprise Beca that her new friends are the same. Besides, Chloe’s giggle in response is adorable, so that easily becomes Beca’s focus.

“Oh, who’s this?” The newcomer asks, hand settling delicately against Chloe’s arm.

Beca does not consider herself to be a jealous person, though this girl has been with them less than a minute and has already felt the need to touch her girlfriend twice. Although it causes Beca to silently question her motives, she decides she will simply keep an eye on her, and does nothing to fight off the proud smile that eases onto her lips as Chloe introduces her.

“This is my girlfriend, Beca,” Chloe explains cheerfully, fingers squeezing gently onto Beca’s. “Bec, this is Katie.”

While social media is not something Beca generally puts too much of her focus on, a lot of time in hotel rooms recently has rendered her more of an active user, and she finds that she will spend more time than usual scrolling through her feeds. Although not necessarily looking for them, she has admittedly noticed comments on Chloe’s Instagram pictures from someone named Katie, her language and emoji usage sometimes maybe a little too complimentary. The odd example comes to mind as Beca studies the taller girl, thinks about the weird tickle to her girlfriend’s side and the way her hand is still resting against Chloe’s arm.

Despite her slight unease, Beca chooses not to say anything, and instead greets Katie the same way she had the others—albeit slightly less warmly, though nobody seems to notice.

Although they do like to be touching a lot of the time, Beca and Chloe are not literally conjoined, so their hands do part eventually. While Chloe doesn’t ditch Beca, Beca falls comfortably into conversation with a couple of Chloe’s friends. She is not checking up on her, she really isn’t, but Beca does take note of the fact that, whenever she looks over at Chloe, Katie just happens to be right there beside her. It is when Katie’s fingers brush very deliberately against Chloe’s that Beca feels the pang of jealousy she has been attempting to keep at bay clawing its way to the surface, and a quick glance from Chloe shows that she can tell.

“Hey, are you okay?” Chloe questions, volume a little quieter as she approaches. Beca has broken off from the small group she had been in conversation with only moments prior, and now studies Chloe momentarily, wondering whether it is worth actually voicing her concerns or not. “You look kind of… I don’t know. Off, I guess?”

Beca’s gaze, though not intentionally, moves toward Katie—decidedly her least favorite person in the room already—and it bothers her to see curious eyes staring back at the two of them. This is their conversation, Beca doesn’t like that they’re being watched. More so, she doesn't like who they are being watched _by_.

“I don’t know,” Beca shrugs a shoulder, tone a little colder than she means it to be. “How’s Katie?”

“What?”

The last time Beca felt jealous of Chloe and another person was during their stint in Europe, when Chloe had kissed their tour guide and Beca had not been able to hold back her disdain. It occurs to her now, though, that maybe the reason she has been able to coast by without such feelings arising thus far into their relationship is because she hasn’t actually, physically been with Chloe very much. It is a fleeting feeling, but she wonders if maybe she has been a little naive to be so trusting, and while she doesn’t say so, her expression makes her feelings clear.

“Beca, come on,” Chloe frowns, glancing over her shoulder toward her friend, who has conveniently turned her attention elsewhere. “You don’t like Katie?”

“It’s not that I don’t like her,” Beca responds with an overly exaggerated shrug. Her jaw clenches slightly despite herself. “She’s obviously into you, Chlo.”

It confuses Beca at first, the way Chloe’s expression seems to soften. She doesn’t think there is anything to smile about right now, but she can see the way Chloe is biting back a much more lighthearted expression, and it causes Beca to raise a brow in response.

“Bec, are you jealous?” Chloe questions cautiously, volume a little quieter. Before Beca even has the opportunity to respond, Chloe’s hand is seeking out her own, and it’s an almost automatic reaction for Beca to part her fingers, allowing Chloe’s to slip easily between the gaps. Chloe tugs her closer, and Beca allows her to, suddenly feeling kind of foolish as she glances up at her girlfriend through mascara coated lashes.

“Babe, you have no reason to be jealous,” Chloe reassures, expression somewhat sympathetic now. “Firstly, I don’t think Katie is into me, I think she just kind of sucks at boundaries.” Beca opens her mouth to interject, but Chloe continues. “And, more importantly, even if she was, I have absolutely no interest in her. You know how long I’ve wanted this?” Chloe pauses to lift her free hand upward, fingers delicately brushing a chunk of mousy hair behind Beca’s ear. The other still holds firmly onto her hand. The action causes Beca to loosen up slightly, though she simply continues to stare as Chloe speaks. “How long I’ve wanted you? You have nothing to worry about, I promise.”

This time, Chloe lifts their joined hands up toward her lips, brushing a soft kiss against the back of Beca’s knuckles. While Beca lets out a small sigh in response, she also nods her head, and she knows for certain that, despite her dislike for Katie, Chloe is not lying to her.

Regardless, Katie’s behavior continues very much the same the rest of the evening. However, Beca trusts her girlfriend, even if she does not trust Katie, so she chooses to ignore her. Chloe is making her feelings for Beca readily apparent the entire time, anyway. Admittedly, as much as Beca likes it in general, it also makes her feel kind of smug, too.

By the time they return to their hotel room, Beca is still not over her bout of jealousy, nor her disdain for Chloe’s friend, but she is not mad at Chloe. She never was mad at Chloe, in fact. Still, that doesn’t stop her from failing to hold back her thoughts.

“You think Katie would be jealous right now?” Beca smirks, legs straddling Chloe’s thighs as Chloe lay back against their large hotel bed, with Beca’s hands sliding their way inside the fabric of her shirt. Her fingertips brush against toned abs, and it is not just the fact that she’s a little tipsy that has Beca’s cheeks slightly rosier than usual.

“I think Katie went home with Matt and we’re the last people on her mind,” Chloe chuckles, arching her neck to beckon Beca closer. Full lips ghost against Beca’s once their faces are close enough. “You have to stop, okay?” Chloe murmurs as she closes the small gap between them, tongue running delicately along Beca’s lower lip. “I’m yours.” Long fingers dance along the waistband of Beca’s jeans, until Chloe can easily pop open the button. “All yours.”

There may be something a little possessive about the way Beca touches Chloe that night, the way she runs her tongue along her body and instructs Chloe to say her name while her fingers are buried deeply inside of her.

Chloe, naturally, does not disappoint.

Although Chloe has to be up early for work the next morning, it is Beca who ends up worn out first. Before Chloe, sex was just sex, but now Beca knows how it feels to ride the high of multiple orgasms, then to lay against the person who caused them, sweaty bodies pressed together, and wishing she could somehow be even closer. It is admittedly one of her favorite things to do, being wrapped up with her girlfriend post-sex, ear pressed to Chloe’s chest as she listens to the rhythmic sound of her heartbeat drumming hard against her chest.

And there it is again, that thought. That _feeling_ deep within her, the one that tells her this with Chloe, absolutely nothing could make more sense. Beca knows how she is feeling, she thinks Chloe is feeling it, too. Again, she thinks that she might tell her, but when her mouth opens, the words don’t come out. And not because she doesn’t mean them… Just because, honestly? Beca is kind of scared.

“How about we take a little nap, then do this all over again?” Beca mumbles almost dreamily instead, her fingertip drawing lazy shapes against Chloe’s bare stomach. Chloe lets out a soft, breathy chuckle, fingers finding their way between the gaps in Beca’s.

“I wish,” Chloe agrees, head ducking to push a small kiss into Beca’s matted hair. “If I didn’t have to work tomorrow, I’d say let’s do it.”

Beca watches their hands as their fingers lace together, takes note of the way Chloe’s chest begins to rise and fall at a more normal pace as she comes down from their shared high.

“Don’t go,” Beca mumbles lazily, “Stay here with me all day.”

Chloe’s quiet chuckle precedes another gentle kiss to the top of Beca’s head, the arm stretched out beneath Beca’s body wrapping loosely around her. “I wish I could.”

“You’d do it for Katie.”

Beca doesn’t even realize what she’s saying, doesn’t think about it until the words have already fallen from her lips. She takes note of the way Chloe’s body seems to stiffen beneath her own, though, and despite the fact that she is not looking up at her, she can picture the way Chloe’s jaw has clenched in response.

“That’s not funny anymore, Bec,” Chloe sighs, head shaking gently against the pillow.

It takes a certain amount of effort, but Beca lifts her head to turn her face upward, meeting the sight of Chloe’s gaze. While Chloe doesn’t look angry, she does look somewhat annoyed, and shoots a small frown toward Beca. Her forehead is wrinkled in a way that Beca finds adorable, but it doesn’t seem like the time to say so right now, not given the content of their current conversation.

“You know, you’re with Theo every single day, and I don’t say anything about it.”

Beca’s dark brows tug tightly together in thought. “What does Theo have to do with anything?”

“He likes you,” Chloe clarifies, her tone very matter-of-fact. It’s not something Beca can deny; Theo had been very forward about his feelings throughout their USO trip. However, Beca had also been very clear about the fact that she did not reciprocate them.

“So? I don’t feel anything for Theo.”

Chloe lets out a small, almost sarcastic chuckle, one that pulls Beca’s frown more tightly into place. “And I don’t feel anything for Katie.”

Beca sees the hypocriticism, she really does. However, she is for some reason stuck up on a high horse, and in her mind, the situations are both entirely different. She doesn’t know how, they just… Are.

“That’s not the same thing,” Beca shoots back, shuffling away from Chloe’s grip. Chloe loosens her hold easily, her fingers slipping back from between Beca’s, and Beca tries not to feel too disappointed by the loss of contact. Beca watches the way Chloe’s gaze follows her sitting further upright, and glances down at her with that same deep frown. “I told Theo I don’t like him.”

There’s a brief roll of Chloe’s eyes, and if she really thinks about it, Beca can understand it. Because it is the same situation, it’s the exact same situation, but Katie had been pushing her buttons all night, so a part of her isn’t willing to give in just yet.

“Do you want me to tell Katie I don’t like her?” Chloe offers, pushing herself up against the pillows. She reaches toward the bedside table to retrieve her phone, face recognition quickly unlocking it.

“No—” Beca begins, though her gaze shifts to Chloe’s screen, and seeing that one of her most recent text message threads is with Katie somehow bothers her. “Wait, how often do you guys talk?”

“Jesus,” Chloe mumbles, tossing her phone somewhat forcefully toward Beca. There is no amusement behind her tone now. If anything, she seems annoyed, and honestly sounds a little hurt, which Beca cannot exactly blame her for. “Here, read my texts with her. It’s obvious you don’t trust me, so go through my entire phone if you have to. I don’t and never will have anything to hide from you.”

Honestly, Beca thinks about it for a moment, she really does. Chloe’s phone is right there, it is unlocked, she can very easily scroll through anything she wants, and in fact has Chloe’s blessing to do so, but she realizes how crazy it seems. Beca will never be one of those people who has to check up on what her girlfriend is doing in her free time, and she can understand why Chloe is annoyed, she really can, though she frowns as she watches her turn over to face away from her, tugging the comforter tightly around her body.

“No,” Beca finally says, sliding the phone across the bed with a defeated sigh. “You win.”

“I win?” Chloe questions, auburn brow arching in confusion. She doesn’t bother to turn back around, though Beca can see the side of her face, see the annoyed expression etched tightly across pale features. “No, Beca, I don’t win anything. Because my girlfriend doesn’t trust me, and honestly, it’s kind of messed up.”

Chloe is right, it is messed up. Especially because she is not the one Beca doesn’t trust, though she doesn’t get the chance to tell her. Beca reaches out a hand to settle on Chloe’s shoulder, ready to roll her back toward her, but Chloe shrugs her off, and Beca just stares with slightly widened eyes.

“Stop. I’m going to sleep,” Chloe mumbles, shuffling a little further toward the edge of the bed, “I have to be up for work.” There is a brief silence, and Beca isn’t sure whether she’s supposed to fill it or not. However, Chloe continues in something of a quiet grumble. “Text Theo, maybe he can keep you company.”

While she knows what Chloe is doing, that she is giving her a taste of her own medicine, Beca doesn’t like it, so maybe it’s the bratty side of her that has her letting out an annoyed groan and reaching over to turn off the light. They very, very rarely fight, and Beca will be damned if this is going to turn into one of those times, so instead of respond or try to backtrack at all, she simply shuffles to the other side of the bed, back facing Chloe, and decides they can figure things out in the morning.

When morning comes, however, Beca realizes she has missed her chance.

For a mid-fall morning, the sun is obnoxiously bright as it shines in through the small gap in the hotel drapes, inconveniently falling directly over Beca’s eyes. She blinks a couple times, arm stretching out toward Chloe’s side of the bed, though it strikes her quickly that the space Chloe had been occupying throughout the night is now very much empty.

The idea that Chloe would’ve left for work without even saying goodbye to her does not cross Beca’s mind, so when she swats around on the table for her phone and notices the time, her heart sinks inside of her chest.

Body still stiff from last night’s sleep, Beca somewhat awkwardly pushes herself into an upright position, pillows bunched behind her bare back, and starts up a new text message to Chloe:

_You left already?_

Chloe’s response comes quickly, and while it is only one word, it doesn’t sit well with Beca.

**Chloe  
** _Yeah_

A deep frown settles onto Beca’s tired features as she stares at her screen, an audible sigh falling from between her slightly parted lips.

**Beca  
** _Are we still fighting?_

**Chloe  
** _I’m working. I’ll talk to you later._

**Beca  
** _Chlo, come on._

Through tired eyes, Beca stares at the screen, awaiting the typing bubble for Chloe’s response, though it doesn’t show. Soon, her screen is locking itself, while Beca’s head leans back against the headboard, an exasperated sigh falling again from between her lips.

Beca wasn’t drunk last night. Tipsy, yes, but not drunk, she knows everything that happened. She thinks back on it now as she peels herself from the bed and heads for the bathroom, she and Chloe’s conversation replaying over and over in her mind as the hot shower water trickles easily over her naked body. And honestly, the more she thinks about it, the more Beca feels like a total dick.

The way she’d acted, it wasn’t fair. No, she hadn’t liked the way Chloe’s friend had been behaving, but that wasn’t Chloe’s fault. Chloe hadn’t done anything to entice Katie in, hadn’t deserved the way Beca had been so accusatory. And honestly, last night could’ve played out so differently. It should’ve played out so differently, in fact. Except, when Beca had thought the words she has been wanting to say for some time now, those three little words with so much meaning behind them, she’d chickened out, and she’d turned up the defenses instead.

It is perhaps against her better judgment that Beca hopes for a response by the time she is done showering and pulling on a comfortable outfit for the day, so her heart really shouldn’t sink the way it does when she returns to her phone to find that it is void of notifications from Chloe Beale.

It’s stupid. Their fight, it’s such a stupid, pointless one. Beca trusts Chloe, she trusts her more than anybody in the world, and she knows Chloe is busy, she knows she is working, but Beca can’t wait the whole day to fix this. She’s sure she’ll go crazy if she tries to.

Beca crawls back into position on the mattress, opening up their text message thread once more. _Chloe, I’m sorry…_ She begins to type, though her shoulders slump and her back sinks into the pillows again. Rather than try to think of more to say, Beca finds herself exiting out of their text messages, and instead hits the call option on Chloe’s contact.

Beca knows it is not unintentional that it goes through to voicemail after only two rings.

“Are you serious?” Beca mutters quietly to herself, considering hanging up the phone, but soon she hears the beep signaling to leave a message, and decides it is the least she can do. “Chlo, hey. Look, I’m sorry,” she speaks softly into the phone, biting back her own sigh. “This fight is stupid, and I know it’s all my fault, I was being a total baby last night. Just call me back, okay? Or text if you can’t call. I really am sorry, I just…” Her bottom lip sucks in between her teeth, and Beca softly shakes her head. “I’m sorry.”

Chloe is busy. Beca knows Chloe is busy, but she also knows that she _can_ text her back, so is it _totally_ crazy that she is currently searching her contacts for Chloe’s work number and extension? Yes, maybe… But that doesn’t stop her, and Beca is soon chewing on the inside of her cheek as she sits up a little further against the fluffed up pillows, listening to the sound of ringing through the phone.

“When someone doesn’t answer your calls, you don’t take that as your cue to call their work number,” Chloe’s voice finally sounds on the other end of the phone. Although Beca can tell she is annoyed, the very sound of Chloe’s voice is so comforting, so reassuring, that Beca allows herself to relax some. Her body lowers slightly as she leans back against the bed.

“How did you know it was me?” Beca asks in a soft tone, arm draped comfortably across her middle.

“The numbers come up on the screen.”

“Oh, right…”

There is the sound of a small sigh from the other end of the phone, and Beca wonders exactly what she is supposed to say. She hadn’t thought that far ahead, she had just wanted the two of them to talk, she had wanted to know that Chloe wasn’t completely shutting her out. Especially not over something so stupid.

“What do you want, Beca? I’m busy.”

Beca’s tongue flicks out over the part in her lips, and while a nervous swell looms within her, she decides that perhaps the best thing to do right now is to not think. She should just talk, should just say whatever comes to mind, because she has already managed to screw this up once, anyway.

“Just to tell you that I’m sorry, okay?” Beca finally says, the sad expression on her face hopefully not sounding through her voice. “I am. I can’t stand not talking to you, and I just wanted to hear your voice.” She pauses for a moment, heart beginning to hammer against her chest, and Beca decides not to hold back this time. She has done so too many times already, and it is finally time to speak her truth, to the one person who truly deserves to hear it. Albeit somewhat slowly, Beca continues, “Because I love you, Chloe.”

How long the pause that follows is, Beca doesn’t know. A part of her feels like she has blacked out for a moment, though she doesn’t regret saying those three words. If anything, she just regrets not saying them sooner.

“I love you, too.”

The response causes Beca’s stomach to flip, like a whole host of butterflies have begun to flap their wings so quickly that she doesn’t properly know how to register what she is hearing. She doesn’t even realize that she’s smiling at first, but she is. She’s smiling.

“You do?” Beca asks, voice somewhat squeakier than before.

“Of course I do,” Chloe responds in a softer tone, and Beca wonders if Chloe’s heart is racing as quickly as her own is. “I wish we weren’t saying this for the first time over the phone… But I do.”

Moments ago, Beca hadn’t felt like smiling, much less laughing, though a soft chuckle now falls from her lips, fingers clutching a little more tightly onto the phone. “I know. Bad timing, I guess.”

“I have to go, but I’ll see you in a couple hours, okay?”

“Okay,” Beca nods, phone still pressed to her ear in spite of the click that sounds from the other side as Chloe ends their call. She is still in something of a dreamlike state as she pulls the device away from her face, just in time to see Chloe’s incoming text message.

**Chloe  
** _I love you._

* * *

Although it’s a little strange, putting everything out there like that, it is definitely not a _bad_ strange, and the next few hours pass by much too slowly for Beca’s liking. So much so that, despite the fact that she doesn’t necessarily feel tired, she opts to take a nap to pass the time. She doesn’t think she’ll actually sleep, but it seems that one moment she is laying down, and the next she is waking to the feeling of the mattress dipping gently beside her, the familiar smell of Chloe’s floral perfume filling her nostrils.

“Hey, sleepy head,” Chloe greets softly, long fingers rising to brush Beca’s still slightly damp hair back from her eyes. It is a definite mood shift from the icy atmosphere surrounding them when they had gone to sleep last night, and Beca rolls slowly onto her back, the lazy smile stretching onto her lips a natural one as her gaze meets her favorite shade of blue.

“Hi,” Beca responds in a somewhat croaky, sleep-laced voice. “I missed you today.”

“I missed you, too,” Chloe agrees, leaning down to gently press her parted lips to the soft skin of Beca’s temple.

Beca’s lids flutter shut momentarily, though there is an admittedly dreamy look in her eyes once they reopen. “How was work?”

“It was fine,” Chloe shrugs, hand easily finding Beca’s. Beca’s fingers spread to allow Chloe’s to slot so easily between them. It’s an almost automatic reaction at this point, the fact that they just need to be wrapped up in one another, any way they can be. “My favorite call came from you, though.” The corners of Chloe’s lips tug upward into something of an amused smirk, eyes now slightly hooded. “I can’t believe you called me at work.”

“Hey,” Beca frowns, though it’s a playful one. She sits upright, hand still holding onto Chloe’s. “You weren’t answering my texts or calls, I had to do something.”

“Of course you did,” Chloe chuckles softly, that dreamy look still glistening in the bluest eyes. With Beca seated upright now, they are on more of a level with one another, it’s easier for them to hold eye contact. Chloe’s voice softens some, a look of subtle excitement dancing across familiar features. “Tell me again.”

“Tell you what?” Beca questions, though she’s playing. She knows exactly what Chloe wants to hear, and honestly, Beca wants to say it. Now that it’s out there, she wants to say it over and over, so all it takes is a playful scowl from Chloe to have Beca caving quickly. “I love you,” she confirms, using her hold on Chloe’s hand to pull herself from her position.

Chloe stays where she is, seated comfortably on the edge of the bed, while Beca shuffles out from beneath the comforter. “I love you,” Beca repeats, and she finds that she is almost shocked by how easy it is for her to say it so openly. Chloe just looks at her, that same soft smirk still dancing on her lips. Her intent gaze follows as Beca moves closer, until she can climb astride Chloe’s lap, her knees down on the mattress either side of her thighs. It is only at that point that they let go of one another’s hands, though Chloe’s soon settle comfortably on Beca’s waist, with Beca’s arms wrapping easily around Chloe’s neck. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Chloe grins, face tilted upward to easily accept the kiss Beca drops to her lips from her position above.

“You owe me two more,” Beca teases, words muffled by the way her lips are pressed so naturally against Chloe’s. While her arms are wrapped around her neck, she pulls them back to settle her hands against Chloe’s soft cheeks, fingertips brushing delicately against smooth skin.

“I love you,” Chloe murmurs into the kiss, and Beca can feel the way her lips curve upward against her own. It is a natural reaction for Beca’s to do the same, though they part slightly as Chloe speaks again. “I love you.”

It’s almost like, now that the words are out there, the feeling has intensified, and Beca wishes she could be so much closer to Chloe, despite the fact that she is literally straddling her thighs, their bodies pressed up tightly against one another’s. She can’t help the way her hips grind down slightly into Chloe with the familiar feeling of Chloe’s tongue pushing gently past her lips, and Beca deepens the kiss easily, tongue moving so naturally against the other’s.

There is an intense kind of energy in the room surrounding them, the kind where Beca knows she needs more of her girlfriend. Judging by the way Chloe’s hands slowly slide around from Beca’s waist, fingertips dipping gently under the fabric of her loose fitting shirt, Chloe feels it, too.

It is almost painful, pulling away from their kiss, but Beca immediately reconnects her lips with Chloe’s skin, soft kisses peppering their way along a defined jaw, and Chloe gently tilts her head to the side, leaving more room for Beca to work. Her hands, meanwhile, continue their path beneath Beca’s shirt, fingertips sliding upward along smooth skin. After her shower, Beca had opted against a bra, so it is easy for Chloe’s hands to explore, cupping delicately against bare breasts. Her thumb moves over to flicker, at first slowly, against Beca’s nipple, and Beca responds with a soft whine against Chloe’s skin, hips grinding down a little harder.

It used to be slightly embarrassing to Beca, the way Chloe could make her want her so badly, make her thighs clench and cause the fabric of her panties to soak through so quickly with such desperate arousal. It is quite the opposite now, though. That distinct feeling of heat creeps between Beca’s legs, and the faster Chloe flicks the pad of her thumb against her stiffening nipple, the wetter Beca can feel herself becoming, that desperate ache she feels for Chloe to touch her intensifying by the second.

“Fuck,” Beca mutters under her breath, word further muffled by the way her lips are still pressing to Chloe’s skin. She forces herself back for the briefest moment, just for Chloe to tug her shirt up and over her head, leaving Beca’s top half exposed. The way Chloe’s eyes drink her in does not go unnoticed, and Beca’s hooded eyes quickly darken with a certain lust reserved only for Chloe in response.

Naturally, she wants to see Chloe, too. Beca wants to be able to touch every part of her body, so it is with a distinct matter of urgency that she peels Chloe’s shirt from her body, small hands reaching quickly behind her back to unhook the clasp of her bra. It feels like a more level playing field now, both of them shirtless, eager hands desperately exploring the most familiar, yet most sacred territory. Beca’s move around to Chloe’s bare chest, contact never breaking between her fingertips and Chloe’s soft skin. It prickles beneath her touch, and Beca cannot resist the way she ducks her head to wrap full lips around Chloe’s vastly stiffening nipple. The movement pulls a faint whimper from the back of Chloe’s throat in response, her back arching slightly to push herself further into Beca’s touch.

Despite the fact that Beca is very much on top, and could easily have the dominance in the situation, it is not in Chloe’s nature to give up control so easily, so as her fingers dance softly down Beca’s smooth torso, abs tensing beneath her touch, it is really not surprising. In spite of the urgency, of the fact that they both so desperately want to feel more of one another, it seems Chloe has decided to take her time somewhat, and soon long fingers are rubbing gently between Beca’s legs, over the light fabric of her leggings. Beca only grinds down harder against them, teeth gently clasping against the stiffening bud in her mouth.

“I can feel how wet you are already,” Chloe murmurs through a shaky breath, her head tipped back as Beca’s lips coast from one breast to the other. A slender finger presses more firmly between her legs, and Beca can’t help the way she nibbles down a little harder. The action pulls another soft moan from Chloe’s lips in response, words whispered as she continues. “Tell me what you want, Bec.”

“You,” Beca mumbles against Chloe’s skin, words paused as the tip of her tongue strokes feather lightly over her nipple. “I want you,” she continues through already ragged breaths, hips arching slightly with the feeling of Chloe’s hand slipping upward and toward the waistband of her leggings. Her movements are slow and deliberate, but soon Chloe’s fingers are dipping beneath the fabric blocking her from really feeling everything, and the moment the tip of her finger strokes along Beca’s already swollen clit, a soft moan of appreciation vibrates against her skin in response.

Chloe knows where and how to touch her, she has always known exactly what Beca likes, and before long she is moving her finger in the most perfect rhythm, one that forces Beca to stop what she is doing with her lips, and instead to bury her face into the warm crook of Chloe’s shoulder.

“God, Beca,” Chloe breathes, voice low and raspy as she pushes tight circles into the swollen flesh beneath her fingers. Beca can feel the way they move so easily, her own arousal pooling fast. It is a natural reaction for Beca’s hips to begin to move, seeking out as much friction as possible from Chloe’s fast moving fingers, though she is helped along by the way Chloe’s free hand moves around to her back, palm cupping her ass and helping to guide her movements.

Fingers slipping along wet, swollen folds, Chloe ducks one down to experimentally slide into her wet center, and Beca’s hips instinctively dip downward to take her further inside. The way she moans as the tip of Chloe’s finger curls and strokes against the exact right spot tells Chloe she approves, and soon she is adding a second finger, the hand on Beca’s ass still guiding her hips back and forth, until Beca is essentially fucking Chloe’s hand.

Chloe can barely hold back her own reactions, and finds that she is cursing under her breath the faster Beca moves her hips, Chloe’s fingers arching and stroking against tightly clenching walls. Each stroke of Beca’s hips is followed by another, louder moan, sensitive clit rubbing against Chloe’s wet palm, and Beca isn’t sure she has ever felt anything so intensely before. She feels everything; the way her body arches and aches with pure lust and desire, the swell of sheer love bubbling inside of her, and soon Beca is biting down against the smooth skin of Chloe’s shoulder, a desperate attempt to keep her increasing volume down, though it really isn’t working.

“God,” Chloe hisses, fingers pumping fast as Beca continues to bite down, whimpering through the high of Chloe’s fingers fucking her in a way that Beca does not recall experiencing before. Her walls clench tightly, hips moving rhythmically with the movement of Chloe’s hand, and all too quickly Beca can feel herself reaching her peak. It is clear that Chloe can tell with the way Beca’s hip movements slow, her sounds intensifying until both are coming slowly to a stop. Beca comes with Chloe’s fingers buried deeply inside of her, jaw slackening and body collapsing easily into Chloe’s.

Slowly, Chloe pulls her hand back from inside of Beca’s panties, the air around them thick with the sound of ragged breathing. Beca’s gentle whimpers echo into the crook of Chloe’s shoulder.

Beca doesn’t notice the mark she has left against Chloe’s skin, she’s too wrapped up in the feeling of the intense high her girlfriend has just caused, and soon Chloe’s lips are seeking out her own, the two sharing a messy, desperate kiss.

“Holy shit, Beca,” Chloe murmurs into the kiss, her lips arching upward against Beca’s. A soft whine emits from Beca’s lips in response, and Chloe lets out a soft, breathy chuckle. “You have no idea how hot that was.”

“I do,” Beca mumbles, words a little higher pitched through her faster breathing, “I was there.”

Chloe’s hand is still wet as it settles against Beca’s hip, and while Beca can’t actually see her staring through her own closed lids, she pulls her face back slightly to take in the view of her girlfriend, coasting on the high of her orgasm above her.

When Beca’s lids finally flutter open, there is a lazy kind of look in her eyes, lips curved upward at the edges and her cheeks tinted with a deep shade of pink. The sight of red skin catches the corner of her eye, and Beca glances toward Chloe’s shoulder to see a deep mark left behind by her teeth.

“Fuck,” she mumbles, hand rising to delicately trace along the mark. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize—”

Chloe cuts her off with a quiet chuckle, head shaking softly. “Stop. It’s okay,” she promises, hand moving to settle her fingers beneath Beca’s chin. Chloe guides her face toward her own, now able to press a gentle peck against Beca’s lips. “Trust me, it was super sexy.”

“Yeah?” Beca relents, glancing briefly toward her shoulder again, though it is hard for her to look away from Chloe’s gaze for too long. Soon, her eyes are locking with the brightest ocean blue. Chloe simply nods, tip of her nose nudging gently against Beca’s. While Beca’s wrinkles slightly in response, it does not stop the natural smile from easing onto her lips. She cannot control her feelings, her words, and they come out as if against her will, though Beca has no desire to stop them, anyway. “God, I love you, Chlo,” Beca whispers, intense stare locked on Chloe’s.

Chloe’s lazy smile mirrors Beca’s, that dreamy look in her eyes so familiar and comforting in response.

“I love you too, Bec.”


End file.
